The school drop-off patrol: for greater safety around schools
Morning traffic around schools can be chaotic, with students arriving on foot, by bike or bus or being driven by their parents, in addition to the usually heavy car traffic in some neighbourhoods. To protect students and raise their awareness of road safety, the CAA-Quebec Foundation is launching the school drop-off patrol, an opportunity for schools to create a temporary, secure, defined area (in French only) where parents can drop off their children with peace of mind while student safety patrollers take charge of them and accompany them to the schoolyard.
After several years of testing the effects of this patrol in the form of pilot projects supervised by researchers at various schools in Quebec, the CAA-Quebec Foundation is ready to roll out this new type of school patrol on a large scale. In light of the many unfortunate accidents involving school children that occurred last fall, we strongly encourage district school boards, principals, parents’ committees, and school councils to get informed and consider setting up a school drop-off patrol at their schools. Schools that wish to try it out before the end of this school year or prepare for the school year starting in fall 2025 can find all information here.
“The CAA-Quebec school safety patrol has been in existence since 1929 and continues to ensure the safety of thousands of students in Quebec today. We’re particularly proud to make the school drop-off patrol available to schools. It’s a simple and effective way to improve safety around schools.”
André DurocherDirector of the CAA-Quebec Foundation
A project backed by data
This CAA-Quebec Foundation initiative is supported by a research project led by professors Marie-Soleil Cloutier of Institut national de recherche scientifique (INRS) and Martin Lavallière of Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC). The two researchers and their teams documented and collected data by observing the behaviour of motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists around several schools. Their field observations led to the conclusion that introducing this type of school safety patrol shows great potential for improving several safety indicators.
About CAA-Quebec
CAA-Quebec offers a wide range of assistance services in a wide variety of sectors, drawing on a human approach. As a socially committed organization, CAA-Quebec strives on a daily basis to protect the interests of its members. And in keeping with its values of reliability and benevolence, it fosters responsible consumption and promotes road safety.
–30–